Return to Stonehaven
by kangel20
Summary: Scenes from Bitten. I do not own Bitten-Characters or plots. PLEASE review! I would LOVE feedback! ENJOY!
1. Chapter 1

Clay knew she would come today. Elena and he had some sort of intuitive connection because he was the one that had bitten her. She would come because Jeremy had called her, she felt obligated because of everything Jeremy had done for her.

Clay had sat by the gate all day and dusk was beginning to fall. Jeremy had brought him out some food earlier that day because he knew what Clay didn't say. He needed to see her after all this time, 12 months, a whole year. Elena had left before, when things got bad between them, but usually it was for a few days sometimes a couple of weeks but she had always come back, except this time. This year had been one of the most painful of his life, Jeremy had commanded him not to go near her, or talk to her, or email her…damn Jeremy. Had it been his choice he would have gone to Toronto and dragged her back a year ago. He loved her and needed her, she was his mate, his other half.

He could hear a cab in the distance pulling up the dirt road and knew it was Elena, he could feel she was close.

The closer Elena got to Stonehaven the more apprehensive she got. She had been able to stay away for a whole year, she had been able to keep blood off her hands for that long and hoped they could continue to stay clean, though she doubted it. If only Jeremy hadn't called her… if only Clay wouldn't be there… if only she hadn't been bitten…. None of it mattered. After a year in Toronto starting a new life for herself, a career, found a man who loved and respected her, she was being dragged back to the life she had run from.

"Here is good." Elena told the cab driver as he pulled up outside the gates to Stonehaven. She had never returned Jeremy's call so nobody knew what time she was arriving. She held on to the hope she could sneak in the house and find Jeremy so he could explain what was going on. More than anything she wanted to avoid Clay for as long as possible…

Elena grabbed her purse and duffle, threw some money at the cab driver and got out of the cab to face her demons. She hadn't walked 5 steps before she smelt Clay behind her, great.

"Welcome home Darlin'." He said in his southern draw, you would think he had walked right out of Louisiana and not have been living in upper New York State for over 20 years.

"Are you the welcoming committee? Or did Jeremy finally chain you up to the front gate where you belong?" Elena retorted coldly. Damn him for waiting for her. She didn't even ask herself how he knew she was coming, he always knew…

"Missed you too." Clay drawled, reaching for her bag.

Elena yanked it out of his reach and took a step back.

"Easy, I just want to help with the bag."

"Its fine, I got it." Elena spit back, walking around him and heading for the house.

Clay trailed behind her with a small smile on his face. Finally, she was back where she belonged, at Stonehaven, with him. Now he just had to convince her to stay and he had a couple ideas…

Elena heard Clay sauntering behind her and had to restrain herself from turning around and wiping the smug smile off his face. She stumped up the driveway and reached for the door handle but Clay's hand was already there

"Home sweet home" he said as he opened the door.

"Home. Right." Stonehaven had been the only true home Elena had ever known, thanks to Clay. Although she would never forgive him for the way he had given it to her.

Crossing through the door Elena remembered the first time she had taken the same steps and remembered the joy and love she had felt.


	2. Chapter 2

"What if he doesn't like me?" Elena was about to meet Jeremy, Clay's adoptive father for the first time.

"Impossible" Clay retorted. "He is going to LOVE you, almost as much as I do." Clay pulled the hand he held hard, which surprised Elena and slammed her into his chest. Clay dipped her into a passionate kiss, trying to take her nerves away though they just added to his own.

Clay hadn't told Jeremy they were coming, or that they were engaged, or the fact that Elena existed at all. Clay felt slightly guilty for that, for not sharing the woman he loves with the man that raised him as his own son, but he had plenty of other things to feel guilty about. Mostly about not telling Elena his secret, she knew everything else about his life except for the biggest thing of all, Clay was a werewolf. It was against pack law to tell her, but it went against his heart not to. It was also against pack law to fall in love with a human, but he was way past that now. Clay was loyal to his alpha, but he was now loyal to Elena as well. He hoped Jeremy would understand his feelings and make an exception to the law.

"Come on darlin', no use putting off the inevitable." Clay righted Elena, made sure she was steady on her heels, grabbed the bag he had dropped when he kissed her and headed to the front door. It wasn't until he had opened the door when he realized Elena wasn't next to him. He turned back to where he had left her and saw her looking into the forest.

"Darlin?"

Elena's head turned slowly from the woods, the smile had left her face, and she went to join Clay in front of the threshold.

"Before you know it, I will be carrying you over one of these" Clay joked bringing Elena's smile back and releasing the tension from her shoulders. They walked through the door together.

The house was nothing like Elena had imagined. It was beautiful and gigantic. There were paintings everywhere, Jeremy's she assumed, and sculptures. It didn't look like a bachelor pad, but felt like a family home. Clay had told Elena that often his extended family would gather here, during the holidays and through the summer. There were pictures of these gatherings all over the walls, both real and drawn. Off the foyer was the study on one side, and the kitchen on the other, and straight ahead a stairwell. Next to the stairwell was a large totem sculpture of a wolf that was both creepy and unique.

Clay stared at Elena's face as she took in his home. He wanted her to love it as much as he did and if the smile on her face was any indication, she did. He let her take it all in for a few minutes and then led her into the study.

"This place is beautiful!" Elena kept repeating, she was amazed and slightly jealous that he had grown up here. She could have fit every one of her foster homes in this mansion, and still have room to spare. He had grown up with a real family, while she had jumped from one to the next to the next until she was 16 and left. She jumped from state to state doing odd jobs, waitressing, being a receptionist, anything she could to make a few bucks, never truly having a family or a home. But Clay had one here, and hopefully, with the consent of Jeremy, she could join his.

"You stay here and explore, I am going to find Jeremy," Clay told her with a smile on his face. He climbed the steps from the foyer and went to the third floor to talk to Jeremy. Clay was 100% positive Jeremy knew they had arrived and would be in his study. Clay also knew he wasn't pleased to have a strange girl in his sanctuary.

Clay got to the closed door, knocked four times, a signature knock he had developed in childhood and had continued to use, waited until he heard the reply of entry from within, and opened the door to see his father.

"Clay" Jeremy greeted from behind his desk. "Jeremy" Clay replied. There was a slight hesitation before Jeremy got up, came around his desk and hugged Clay.

When they released each other, Jeremy had his alpha face on, and Clay was ready to defend his decision.

"Who is this girl? Why did you bring her here? You know this place is not for humans!"

"She is the woman I love Jeremy. We both never thought this day would come, but she has changed me and I won't be a part from her. I want to tell her, I want to marry her, I want to spend my life with her."

Jeremy was silent, some would think deep in thought, but Clay knew better, he was keeping his anger under control. All the hope Clay had had for Jeremy's acceptance of Elena went out the window. Jeremy would never understand, he would never budge from pack law.

"She doesn't belong here, she is not one of us. And you brought her here without giving me a warning. Do you know why she paused in the driveway when you walked to the front door? She saw me, changing in the woods."

Clay turned ice cold and couldn't breathe. "No, that's impossible. She just say a bird or a fox or something."

"No, she saw me. You just signed her death sentence."

Clay was so angry he began to shake, he was about to start yelling when he heard and felt Elena's present behind him.

"Umm, Hi. You must be Jeremy, I am Elena." Elena paused in the doorway, she had gotten very impatient waiting downstairs by herself, so she had begun to explore and followed the sound of voices to the third floor. She wished she had stayed downstairs for she had clearly interrupted something.

Jeremy put on his human face. "It is so wonderful to meet you," he grinned, "Why don't we head back downstairs to the study so I can get to know you better. Clay, why don't you head to the kitchen and grab some lemonade and cookies." This was not a suggestion, this was an order.

The three of them filed back downstairs, Clay turned to the kitchen while Jeremy and Elena went into the study.

Elena did not like the heavy silence so she spoke first, "I am so sorry we barged in on you, I told Clay to call, but he said you wouldn't mind."

"He was right dear. So tell me, how did you and Clay meet?"

"Well, I am a student at Toronto University and I met Clay when I became his office assistant. Things progressed a little quickly from there, but I can promise you I love Clay more than anything in this world."

"I understand that and I am happy for you both. I see you are both wearing wedding rings, have you already married?"

"Oh no, they are more like promise rings, we are hoping for a small family thing…Oh, what a beautiful dog. Clay never mentioned you had one."

Jeremy whirled around and saw Clay, in wolf form, approaching Elena. "Don't touch him!" Jeremy warned, but it was too late, her hand was already reaching for his head.

"I have spent a lot of time around animals, I worked in a shelter for a little while, I will be fine."

As soon as the word left her mouth, both she and Jeremy knew she wasn't going to be fine.

Clay had bit her and Elena immediately felt woozy and very quickly blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Elena?" Clay asked.

Elena immediately snapped out of the past and back into the present, into the hell that was her life. She moved out of the doorway that she had been blocking and into the place she used to call home.

"Where's Jeremy?" she asked moving down the foyer. The sooner she found Jeremy the sooner she could deal with what needed to be done.

"Out," was Clay's short reply. "How about we go back to the kitchen and grab some food, Jeremy will be in soon I'm sure."

"DON'T!" Elena shouted. "This is not a happy reunion, we are not friends, I am not staying! I am here to help Jeremy and that is it."

"Shit" thought Elena. Her plan was to get in and out without causing controversy with Clay. Oh, who was she kidding, she and Clay couldn't be within 10 feet of each other without biting each other's heads off.

Elena walked through the kitchen and out the back door, she caught Jeremy's sent and followed it towards the woods.

Clay felt like she had smacked him, which wouldn't be the first time. After a year of being apart, he acts perfectly civilized and still gets his head bitten off. Well fine, if she was going to play dirty, so was he.

"No, damn it" Clay roared and pounded his fist into the empty foyer wall. This was his chance to get her back, to prove he loved her and that they belonged together. He wasn't going to play dirty, nor was he going to pretend to be something he wasn't. He needed to be the person she fell in love with, the person she use to trust. He knew he had a lot of work ahead of him as he followed Elena's path out the back door.

Elena knew Jeremy was in the woods running, she walked a little farther and decided to change into wolf form. She would find Jeremy faster that way, or at least that is what she told herself. Really she just wanted to run freely again, back in the woods that use to be hers.

This change felt different then her changes before. In the city, she always had to change and run out of necessity, she never changed of her own accord. Here, changing was natural, her wolf form belonged here. She didn't feel her body tear into pieces as usual, but rather morph itself into the creature that had been a part of her for the last 4 years. Her change took about 5 minutes, in the city it took triple that, and then she caught Jeremy's scent and went in search of him.

Clay followed Elena into the woods and changed a short distance from her. He always felt much more comfortable in his wolf form then his human one. It probably had something to do with the fact that he lived as a wolf for the first 2 years after he was bitten at the age of 5. He couldn't remember much of his life before Jeremy found him but he would forever be grateful to Jeremy for saving him, he owed Jeremy everything. Jeremy became his father and raised him to be a loyal to his pack, to do whatever needed to be done in order to protect the ones he loved, and to be a good man. It was Jeremy who inspired Clay to go to college, to gain his Bachelors and then Master and Doctorate degrees. Most people didn't know but he was Dr. Danvers, he was an anthropology professor, which was how he had met Elena. Clay had never been much of a fan of humans, but the first time he saw Elena outside of his office, waiting to interview for his office assistant job. He had fallen head over paws in love, although it took him a while to admit it. But once he did, he knew she would always be the woman for him, there was no one else, she was his mate and he intended to get her back, starting now.

After Clay changed he followed Elena's scent, she had started following Jeremy however must have decided to give up and just enjoy the run because her path veered from his. Clay followed her trail about a half a mile into their woods when he spotted her, drinking from the stream. He went further down the bank, crossed, and came back so he was just across the stream and behind a bush. Elena had the best ears of a wolf that he had ever met, as well as the best tracker so he was surprised to find her where he had left her. Clay counted to three and then pounced, landing on top of Elena and drenching them both in the stream. She fought to get out from under him, but she was out of shape and he was twice her size, Elena brought her head up and bit into Clays front leg, not expecting her to play dirty Clay jumped and Elena got the slip on him.

She ran down the stream to hide her scent from Clay, got out on a low bank and circled back around, she then crossed the stream again and ran, she tried to think of a good hiding spot but before she could she found herself in the west woods, a place she didn't think she would ever see again. She found Clay's scent everywhere, but no one else's, the pack had always been respectful and avoided it, probably because they didn't know what they were going to find. The west woods had always been their place, they would run there, sleep there, they talked about getting married there, but that was a long time ago….

Clay caught her scent where she had crossed the bank for the second time and followed it. It was heading towards the west woods, he had a flickering thought to where she was hiding, but didn't think it was possible. There's no way she would go there, to a place full of memories they shared before she had left him, but her scent didn't lie, it lead him directly to her.

Clay found her pawing at the tree trunk where they hid the blankets they always used, they were still there, as was the last book they had started reading together, but never finished_Great Expectations_ by Charles Dickens, the book mark was in the same place she had left it over a year ago.

Elena heard Clay behind her and turned to see a cautious look in his eye, he didn't know whether to approach her or not, this was new. Normally he would just run up and pounce on her to start another battle. This time he laid his head on his paws and let her make the first move. She didn't know what to do, to go to him would but the first step in admitting defeat, but if she walked away…It would be inexplicably painful for the both of them. Before she was able to make her decision, they both heard Jeremy howl from the house. Clay gave her a look that told her this conversation wasn't over, and headed towards Jeremy, Elena hesitantly followed.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm so sorry it has been so long! I have been so busy with family and school and just life and this project has been a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Writing is difficult! Hope you guys had a Happy Holiday.

I hope this makes up for such a long hiatus! Thanks guys!

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Elena ran back towards her clothes and assumed Clay did the same. She got dressed and went into the house knowing she would find Jeremy in his study, where he always was.

Elena stood outside the door for a few seconds taking a deep breath, she knew Jeremy was aware of her presence, but she needed to prepare herself for seeing the man, that for all intents and purposes was her father, for the first time in a year.

Feeling in no way prepared she knocked and opened the door.

Jeremy was sitting at his easel painting, typically whatever he saw in the woods that day. He finished a couple more strokes before putting down the pain brush and turning towards her.

"Elena" He smiled and walked towards her.

She couldn't help but fall into his arms, but held back the tears that wanted to fall.

"Hi Jeremy" she whispered into his shoulder.

He held her for a few more seconds letting her compose herself, released her and went over to sit in his engulfing leather chair behind his desk.

She headed towards the puke green velvet chair that had always been hers when they met in Jeremy's study, it was big enough for 2 so Clay and she use to cuddle up in it. On second thought she headed towards the leather chair that Antonio typically sat in. Jeremy looked at her, assessing how she had changed in the last year, and waited for her to speak.

"Why did you call me?" she finally asked. Might as well get to the point.

"When you asked to leave I promised I wouldn't call you unless I needed you. I also told you that you had a year to figure out the path you wanted to take. It's been a year."

Elena's stomach fell and her brain reverted back to a year ago, to the reason why Jeremy and she had made the deal.

"I killed him! I killed him" Elena kept repeating to herself looking at the blood that covered her body.

It wasn't the shock of the kill that had stunned her, but rather the violence that she was capable of. She had killed before to protect her pack, but this time was different. She didn't try to divert the bookie or pay him off. She gave him 2 options, give her what she wanted or die. He choose death, and she granted his wish.

The bookie claimed to have proof of werewolf existence and was going to sell it to the highest bidder. Obviously this was something the pack could not let go public so Jeremy sent Elena to deal with it, Clay was on the other side of the country dealing with a more extensive problem.

"Pull yourself together!" She demanded of herself, "You can freak out later!" She took a few deep breaths and began making a mental list of the cleanup. Get rid of the body, the blood, find the proof and go home. She could do that. She had been with Clay on plenty of clean up jobs so she knew how and she would do it, she would not let her inability to control herself get the pack into trouble.

Elena broke the bookies arms and legs in several places to make him smaller, she wrapped him in a sheet and then placed him into a garbage bag, inside a large suitcase. They were in a hotel so there would be no suspicion. She sanitize the entire room using her sense of smell to detect every trace of blood. She then placed all trace evidence along with her bloody clothes inside the suitcase and changed into the clean clothes she had brought along. She had found another suitcase full of the werewolf evidence, it contained some fur and pictures of human footprints that turned into large paw prints, not exactly deeming evidence, but not something the pack wanted humans to see.

Elena left the room spotless and headed to the lobby. It was after hours in the hotel so the lobby was empty except for the night clerk who she handed the bookies room keys to.

"Thank you Miss, I hope you had a nice stay."

Elena forced a smile and a nod and headed out the front door to the parking lot where Clay's jeep was waiting. She threw the suitcase in the back and drove away from the Maine hotel to the dumping ground Jeremy had planned if it came to getting rid of a body.

After dealing with the body she drove the few hundred miles home re-playing the bookies death in her head, wondering what made her lash out and why she didn't remain calm. Living this life had been hard for her from the beginning, but she thought she was handling it well. At least as well as she thought possible, obviously that was not the case. She replayed the last 4 years and how she had changed since being bitten. She has always been able to defend herself and had never been a naïve girl, but she never used to be violent, at least not until she had met Clay. He did this to her, just as he had bitten her and ruined her life. Did she actually love him? Or was that something she just told herself to live the life he forced upon her? Who was she anymore?

These questions plagued her until her return to Stonehaven around midnight, where Jeremy was waiting for her.

"It's done." She told him and went to her room, without waiting to hear what he had to say. She knew he would look in the Jeep and find everything he wanted.

Jeremy had provided and decorated her room for her since Stonehaven had become her home, it was the place that was her sanctuary for the first year of the hellish life she lived, during the time she didn't acknowledge the existence of Clay because her anger exceeded her feelings for him. It was the only place he respected when she needed space and didn't enter unless the door was open inviting him in, even though his room was across the hall.

Elena showered the scum of the day off, changed into flannel pajamas and crawled into her king sized canopy bed. She continued shifting through the shambles of her life for the rest of the night, and wondered how she could fix who she had become.

When 10am rolled around that morning she had discovered an answer she would be satisfied with, but she knew Jeremy wasn't going to be happy. She got dressed in semi-nice clothes and went down to breakfast. The rest of the pack had disappeared to one place or another and Clay wasn't set to return for a few more days, so it was just going to be Jeremy and her for breakfast.

Elena entered the kitchen and found the table full of her favorites but the room empty. Jeremy knew she had had a rough night and was hoping to make up for it by food. That is something that would work with the guys, but not with her and not with this situation. She felt a bit nauseous, but she ate a small plate of food and practiced the speech she was going to give Jeremy when she was done. She was going to tell him what had happened and what she had decided, she hoped he would be able to see reason in her request and grant her wish, because if he didn't, she had no options left.

Elena went to Jeremy's study knowing that is where she would find him, he granted her entry before she even knocked. She opened the door and he glanced up from the book he was reading behind his desk, saw her face and put the book away.

"Jeremy, I would like to talk to you." She requested in a strong tone of voice.

"About last night? You said you handled it."

"I did, but not exactly as requested. I killed him."

"Well, if you deemed it necessary I am sure it was."

"That's the problem, it wasn't. I never gave him an actual choice to live. It was give it to me or die, he didn't accept, so I killed him. For that span of time I became Clay and that was not okay. Over the last four years I have lost myself, I have no idea who I am, I do what I am told and live day by day dealing with the monster I have become. I don't want to live like this anymore." She was out of breath when she finished, not exactly the way she'd planned to handle things, but it was a start.

"Why have you never talked about this before Elena? I didn't know you were unhappy."

"I never really acknowledge it was a problem before. Sure I have run before, but I have always come back, out of guilt, necessity, because Clay dragged me, I was never really gone. You don't understand Jeremy, I lost it last night, before I knew it I was holding the bookie's heart in my hand, covered in blood, looking at the body that had fallen to my feet. I am not that person and I cannot be that person again. I have killed so many for this pack that I never saw as a problem until last night. I protected this pack with all that I had over these past years because you asked me too. I can't do it anymore."

"What are you saying Elena?"

"I have a proposition. I would like to leave Stonehaven. I would like to start over, somewhere else, try to figure out who I actually am. I never got a chance because I was just thrown here with the pack and I was angry at Clay for so long and then I just felt guilty so I conformed myself into someone I thought I was required to be for him, for you. I will still be a part of the pack by name, but I would like to leave behind Stonehaven, and this person that I am, and move on." Elena became hopeful.

Jeremy looked at her like she had lost her mind. How had he not known she was unhappy until now? How had he not seen it? He prided himself on being the father figure in her life when he wasn't the alpha. He did what he could for her, but apparently she had hidden it well, or he had been blinded. He loved her like a daughter, but he was her alpha. He couldn't grant her request, it was against pack rules, but could he force her to be here?

Elena say the hesitation on his face and knew she was going to be lost forever.

"You and I both know your request is against pack rules. You coming to me like this is stretching the rules enough." Jeremy paused and watched her face fall and crumble for a nanosecond until she returned it to a mask. He couldn't do this to his daughter, couldn't force her to be here, force her to be with a man and people she didn't want to be with. "However, I will give you 1 year. You can leave and go where you choose, I will forbid the pack to contact you, unless you contact them first and if something comes up and I call you, you must return, but I promise not to call you unless absolutely necessary. "

Elena couldn't believe it, he had agreed and she was going to be free, but only for a year. "What happens after a year?" she asked cautiously.

"After a year, you must return to Stonehaven and tell me your final decision. You will either return permanently, or be exiled as a mutt."

Her heart skipped a couple beats, was a year enough time to figure out what the past four years had taken from her? She better hope so, because that was the best she was going to get.

"I accept, I would like to leave tonight." The sooner the better.

"What would you like me to tell Clay?"

"Exactly what I have told you that I need time without him and this life and that he is forbidden to come after me."

"You and I both know he is not going to take that well, but I will do as you ask and make sure he is obedient. I will miss you, but hope you find what you are looking for."

Jeremy walked around the desk to hug her and she return the embrace. She has just told her father that she wanted to leave him, she hoped the hug transferred the affection she felt for the man and the gratefulness for giving her as she wished.

They released each other and Elena left, "Goodbye Jeremy".

"Until we meet again" Jeremy whispered to the closed door.


	5. Chapter 5

The year had gone by fast, a lot had changed, she had changed, Jeremy could tell. It was obvious in the way she dressed and held herself and even spoke, she thought longer before words were spoken.

"You are different." He stated.

"Yes, I am. I told you I wanted to change who I was. I did."

"Yes I can see that. Have you made your decision?"

"Not, yet." Actually she had, but she wasn't sure how to break it to him or the rest of the pack. She had decided to stay in Toronto with Philip, her boyfriend of 6 months, for as long as Jeremy would let her, than she would move on, like a mutt and go to different places. It would be hard not to have the secure roots she had made in the past year, however, Philip's work allowed him to travel so they could be together.

"You are out of time Elena. I will need your answer before you leave. As for why I called you here, we have a problem and we need your help, Clay needs your help. I need your help."

"What happened? What did Clay do now?" Figures, Clay's violent and unnecessary antics were bound to get the pack in trouble eventually.

"I will tell everybody at the same time. For now you need to know that we have a problem that needs to get solved and your presence is required. There will be a meetup tomorrow night with the entire pack. It's getting late, why don't you go get settled and we will talk tomorrow."

Elena knew that was her dismissal and Jeremy wouldn't tell her anymore. Great, now she had to go deal with Clay and wouldn't have any backup until tomorrow.

Elena turned to leave and heard Jeremy say "I missed you." Elena's stomach fell, Jeremy didn't admit feelings often, and he really couldn't with being alpha and all, hearing this made her feel guiltier than she already did for leaving him.

Elena headed down to the 2nd floor to her room. She debating on going to find her bags, but knew that increased the risk of running into Clay and she wanted to avoid him at all costs. She wasn't sure where he had disappeared to during her meeting with Jeremy. There really wasn't anything she needed out of them, her dressers were full of old clothes.

She opened the door to the room that had been hers for the last four years and closed and locked it behind her. Although it hadn't been occupied for a full year there was no layer of dust, Jeremy's doing, and everything was in the same exact place as she had left it, well probably everything, but she wasn't going to go look. She found an old pair of ratty pajamas and went to her attached bathroom to freshen up.

When she was done, she climbed into her huge bed and prepared herself to stare at the ceiling for a few hours. She knew she wasn't falling asleep anytime soon. She contemplated ways to tell Jeremy she was leaving again, that she had created a life away from here and was finally happy with who she had become. She thought of Philip, a man she loved and who loved her. He was one of the most selfless people she had ever met, unlike another person she knew. He was an advertising executive and could work from anywhere, she was hoping he would travel with her when she was forced into mutt status. Of course, he wouldn't know that, she would tell him her photography career was taking off and she wanted to expand her options. Lying was her specialty after all.

She tossed and turned in bed and eventually gave up even trying. She walked over to her window seat, her favorite thing about the room, sat and hugged a pillow to her chest. She looked at the moon, a view she didn't really get in the city. She looked at the forest that use to be hers and thought again about the encounter with Clay in the woods, earlier that evening.

The west woods was a place she had blocked out for the past year, it had been a place of joy and sorrow, and love and passion. Her room was her private sanctuary, but the west woods belonged to both her and Clay. She didn't even know why she went over there, something just drew her. Clay's scent had been all over those woods which means he had been out there often, pining for her or cursing her name, most likely the latter. She felt guilty for the pain she had caused over the last year. She had been too coward to tell him anything before she left, she didn't even know if he knew the true reason for her departure.

"Stop!" She whispered to herself, tapping her head against the window gently. Clay had ruined her life she reminded herself. He had bit her "just because" as he often told her when she asked. Jeremy had taken care of her during her first year of freak out. He had banned his son from the house because Elena had requested it and didn't allow his return until Elena granted it.

Jeremy had cared for her as his daughter and given her anything she wished. He knew about her crappy childhood without her ever telling him and had always done the right thing by her. That is why she was back, to help Jeremy. She would deal with Clay the best she could, maybe even apologize about not telling him the truth, she owed him that, and then she would leave and go back to the life she had struggled to build over the year. She had to keep reminding herself she didn't belong there, this wasn't home anymore.

A little while later Elena jerked her head up and sniffed the air, she caught a whiff of Clay's scent. She chuckled to herself a little, she was surprised it had taken him that long. She knew on the other side of her wall, on the lower roof was Clay, guarding her escape routes in case she decided to disappear in the middle of the night, something she had done before. Over the years she had been at Stonehaven she got an itch to disappear, but only for a few days at a time, Clay was normally driving her crazy and she just wanted an out. A couple times she hadn't wanted to deal with Clay so she jumped from her second story window and disappeared, him none the wiser until morning, although Jeremy usually knew where she was.

It was getting later and Elena's defenses were down, which usually meant she was more honest with herself. On the other side of the wall was a man she hated and loved. She placed her hand up on the wall and then leaned her head away from the window and placed it on the same wall. He was the man who held the deepest love for her, she knew that, although he had odd ways of showing it. He often knew what she was thinking, always knew whether to hold her or pick a fight with her to make her feel better, rarely left her alone unless deemed absolutely necessary, and would do anything for her, well almost anything, he was never going to let her go. He was the man who had changed her life in the worst possible way and that was something she was never going to get over. They had spent the years since her change arguing and making up, getting into fights old and new, getting put in their place my Jeremy, having passionate makeup sex, and spending time in the west wood. The pattern of their life was never healthy, it was always toxic and she hated it, it filtered into the reasons of her leaving, and it definitely contributed to the violence with the bookie's death. The problem was every time she returned to Stonehaven after an absence, she remembered why she fell in love with Clay in the first place and forgot all the bad things, and obviously it was happening again. She was going to have to keep reminding herself that she wasn't staying and didn't belong here.

When she left Stovehaven that year she returned to Toronto, the place she had met Clay, and resumed her life as a photographer. She had made new friends, met Philip and did anything she could to forget about her life at Stonehaven. The year deadline had seem a long ways away and a lot could change during that time. She was so focused on the present and what she was currently doing, rediscovering herself that she kind of forgot about it. It was weird being back here with the new perspective she had discovered, but it was hard because old feelings still surrounded her.

She felt more tired now and she knew Clay was going to be out there all night, no getting rid of him, so she decided to attempt sleep again. She crawled back into bed and fell into a fitful dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Elena awoke the next morning to several familiar voices downstairs, the meet up was happening tonight so everyone would be arriving throughout the day. She listened to see who had arrived.

There was Clay and Jeremy of course, and then there was Nicky's energetic sarcastic voice and Antonio's, Nicky's father. They were of the Sorentino Clan and a very important pack family with Antonio being Jeremy's right hand man. Antonio had been like her uncle doting on her, presents, wolf education, and another person she had just left with no explanation. Nicky was well Nicky. He had grown up with Clay and Logan at Stonehaven, had a different project all the time, comes and goes as he pleases and was probably the only person that could understand why she left. They had gotten close during her years at Stonehaven and was probably she survived the first year of the change, because he took care of her and helped her see humanity again. She also heard Pete, the jokester and rock star of the pack, it would be really good to see him. Sounded like Logan was the only one missing, he was out in California at a conference, which she knew because she had kept in contact with Logan during her rogue year, he was a psychologist and it was pretty obvious that she needed one of those, but he was also her closest friend.

She waited another few minutes before climbing out of bed, mentally preparing herself for the day ahead, it was going to be full of a lot of questions and she wasn't 100% sure on how to answer them. Finally she built up enough confidence to change into an old pair of jeans and light blue blouse, black boots and throw her hair in a ponytail. She looked in a mirror on her way out the door. Hopefully she wouldn't revert back into the person who had worn this same outfit countless times before. Took a deep breath and headed down the stairs to make her presence known.

"There's my gorgeous girl! The party can start now, the princess has arrived!" Nick shouts as he grabbed her off the top stair and swung her around in circles. Elena couldn't help but smile. She missed him.

"Put me down Nicky!" Elena demanded but couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice. She hugged him and then licked his cheek, one of their old games.

"Naughty girl!" Nick whispered in her ear and chuckled as he sat her on her feet. She didn't stay on flat ground for long. Antonio grabbed her next in one of his famous bear hugs.

"We missed you sweetheart!"

"I missed you too." Elena realized how true that was. They were her family, she didn't have this in Toronto, sure she had some friends but that wasn't the same. These were people who know her inside and out. Elena squeezed Antonio as he put her down.

Pete was next, not a hugger as the previous 2, but he had a huge smile and they did their secret handshake. "Good to see you cuz."

"You too you big lug."

Pete squeezed her hand at the end of their handshake in his sign of affection.

Now she just felt guilty.

Jeremy had allowed her to have her reunion with them, surprisingly Clay too, but now Jeremy made his announcement.

"Everyone will be here by 6 and the meet will start. Until then: eat, run, and be merry."

"Food first!" Pete and Nick demanded. Elena was with them, she was starving.

Everyone piled into the kitchen and climbed into their familiar seat, unluckily placing Elena next to Clay. Meals were always loud and chaotic when everyone was present and usually very enjoyable. Upon Jeremy's first bite, the entire table dug in and spoke over each other trying to catch up since the last time they had all seen each other. Elena was quiet and everyone respected that, she watched the exchanges and asked questions when appropriate, she didn't have any idea what had been going on in their lives over the past year, except Logan. Pete had been out on several rock tours having the time of his life, Nicky jumps from project to project often and is currently working on a nightclub in New York City, and Antonio was currently, and always, doing the bidding of Jeremy. She did her best to pay the least attention to Clay, which was oddly easy, he was being unusually quiet.

After everyone was done with breakfast they spread throughout the house and Elena headed into the woods for a walk, on feet, not paws.

"Hey, wait up gorgeous!" Nick hollered.

Elena started walking faster and broke into a run with a laugh trailing behind her. It didn't take long for Nick to catch up on his longer legs, he jumped and tackled her into a pile of leaves for a soft landing and hand her pinned before she could blink.

"You're out of practice!" He chuckled.

"I haven't had hooligans like you to practice with," Elena shot back. "Let me up!"

"Give me a kiss" Nick moved in close and put his cheek to her lips. Elena licked him instead, something she use to do often, but it never failed to startle him. Nick groaned and released her arms to wipe his face. "Gross".

Elena laughed as she got up and pulled Nick up with her.

They had walked for a minute when Nick asked seriously, "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay, I think. I met someone and have made some friends. I'm a professional photographer and I love it." Photography had been something she had studied in college and she had dabbled when she joined the pack, but it was something she really enjoyed to do on a regular basis as she had been able to in the past year.

"Did you find the answer you were looking for?" Nick questioned.

Elena knew he wasn't really expecting an answer, she wasn't sure she had one. They continued walking in silence.

"How is he?" Elena asked. Ask much as she wished to ignore the fact Clay existed, he did, and as much as she wished the feelings she had for him would dissolved, they hadn't.

"He's lost without you. When he found you, he changed, and when you left, he changed again, but not for the better." Nick wasn't going to lie to her. Clay had been absolutely miserable without her and if he was miserable so was everyone else. Clay had handled mutt situations more violently, he dove into giving lectures at different universities. He thought you were going to come back for Christmas. He had the tree and decorations all set up, had invited everyone for the biggest party in a decade. But you never came, he spent a week in the woods after that…."

Elena felt guilty, how could she not have. She had left Clay without a word and she knew it would hurt his feelings, but she figured he would bounce back. Christmas had always been their special holiday. After having crappy childhood Christmases, Clay tried to make them special for her. Every year they escalated in grandeur, especially if it was a year Clay was apologizing about something. Elena had been tempted to come back, she forced herself to fly to California for a shoot so she wouldn't give in and return.

Elena didn't know how to respond to that so she stayed quiet. Nick wasn't usually the brutally honest one, so it must have been bad for him to come clean.

They continued walking a well-worn path that circled back to the house. Nick grabbed her hand and squeezed it in a silent apology, even though Elena was glad he told her. She squeezed his back and they parted ways at the back door. Elena went up to her room to change for the meeting and check her cell.

A short while later there was a secret tap on her bedroom door. Elena broke into a smile, Logan had arrived. They had always played this game where they would knock special messages in a type of Morse code. Elena ran to the door and flung it open and jumped into Logan's arms.

"Thank God you are here, you will be the perfect barrier!"

"I missed you too!" Logan chuckled as he carried her back into her room and shut the door behind him.

"I'm sorry. I have really missed you! I just didn't realize how hard it was going to be being back here." Elena said grabbing him in a hug again and just holding on.

Logan rubbed her back and let her catch her breath. She was in better shape than he had expected to find her in.

"So do you know why Jeremy has called us here?" Logan asked after a few minutes.

"No idea. He wouldn't tell anyone until tonight when everyone was here."

"Well, I think I am the last one, and it's just about 6 so let's go find out what the catastrophe is."

Logan and Elena left her room and headed up to Jeremy's study and found everyone else waiting for them.


End file.
